Never Back Down, Never Give Up
“You’re going to need these. You know you will.”. Are words that have always struck my heart with a certain emotion that I couldn’t even ponder. Was it sadness? Was it anger? Was it joy? I wish I could give an explanation for this. Even though I am not intelligent enough to explain my own emotion, I can at least give some context.
It is unimaginably difficult to understand being the grandson of a professional soccer player that has won a World Cup. Living up to that expectation has been the most difficult task that God handed to me as a person. My father, Matteo, never came close to meeting the expectation set by his father. My father played one game for our national team before getting a knee injury and never being able to run for the rest of his life. Although even before his injury, his technical ability and athleticism could not even rival that of an average 16 year old here in Switzerland. My father doesn’t know this, but the only reason our country even thought of letting him be on the national team roster was due to the immaculate legacy held by my grandfather, Hans Luca. The Italians called my grandfather, ‘Caesar Luca,’ this was due to the sheer dominance he managed to display in Europe during his prime times. It was similar to how dominant Augustus was. The way my grandfather played was simply beautiful. He simply possessed no flaws in his craft. He understood the mechanics of the ball, how to move it the way he wanted, and when he wanted. In addition to this, his sheer strength and size could rival that of Spartacus. Some described him as a fierce fighter and warrior. One time a defender that was tasked with playing against him said,”It was impossible to comprehend the way he moved with the ball. Every touch on the ball he had was perfectly articulated and positioned. He could constantly have me out of position, without even showing any sign of visible effort. He is by far the greatest player in history.” Hearing stories like this as a child might have sounded thrilling and, of course, made me feel more proud of my family heritage, but what I would never know in hindsight was an impending pressure slowly approaching towards me.
As I grew older in life, my parents decided that moving to the U.S. would be the optimal option for their careers. This at the time made me excited because I knew the competition wouldn’t be as good as it was in Europe. When I arrived in the U.S., I joined the highschool soccer team . My athleticism and skill was nowhere near the level of anyone else’s. It almost seemed like I was a grown man amongst feeble boys. It was honestly quite boring to me. In my highschool career, I would go on to win four state titles, which honestly felt like nothing at the time. I knew that the only trophy I truly cared about was the World Cup. Being Hans Lucas grandson, or what most people would describe as the greatest human being to have a soccer ball between their feet, would mean that the pressure to win a World Cup was high. After all my titles, it almost felt like I was just expected to win them, as most people didn’t see it as an accomplishment for me. So once I turned eighteen, I was glad to know that I received an invitation to play for Switzerland.
The World Cup for Switzerland is a very big deal. There is only one World Cup every century, and Switzerland is the reigning champion. It is our main tourist attraction. Knowing that the World Cup would be happening in 12 years, I felt like I needed more time to prepare. I didn’t think that I was ready to win the largest and most attended event, and tournament, in human history. At the World Cup my grandfather played in, there were 3.5 billion recorded views, as well as 3.2 million people watching in the stadium. The reason that there have only ever been two World Cups is simply because it takes so long to build a stadium that can hold that many people.
A few years had withered since I got my first invitation. The date of the World Cup has given me a sense of astonishment that is only comparable with the surprise that a thief gives at midnight. All my preparation throughout my life has led to this moment. My family and country rests on my shoulders to continue the powerful dynasty sparked by my grandfather. The first game of the tournament is fast approaching. Before I could brace the field with all my heart, my grandfather called for me. When I met with him, he whispered into my ear, a few words met my heart with a sort of bitter sweet warmth, “You’re going to need these. You know you will.” He said as he passed me his soccer cleats that he himself used to win the World Cup. Somehow, even the vile nature of time had not affected them. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve assumed that they were maybe a fortnight old. After receiving my blessing from my grandfather, I waited patiently for my moment to show the world the grace and technical ability that I have spent a perpetual eternity attempting to attain.